Stakeholder Conflict Scenarios

Stakeholder Conflict: Legal Refuses to Move on the MSA

Verbal yes is in. Then legal returns 47 redlines including a hard rejection of your liability cap. Quarter-end is 9 days out.

The situation

$680K deal. Verbal commitment from CFO. Standard MSA went to legal three weeks ago. Today the General Counsel returns the redlines: 47 changes, including unlimited liability, removal of arbitration, and US data residency in writing. Your standard contract caps liability at fees paid in the prior 12 months.

Key stakeholders

Cassidy Wynne
blocker
General Counsel
Risk-averse. Has killed two prior SaaS deals.
CFO (Verbal Approver)
economic buyer
Economic Buyer
Champion (Director of Finance)
champion
Internal advocate

Step 1

Decision point

Quarter-end is 9 days out. Your says 'unlimited liability is a hard no.' Your asks, 'How bad is this?'

What is your triage move?